Description

Dragon Well, or Longjing tea is one of the most popular teas in China, and it is the quite possibly THE most popular green tea. You can find genuine (and imitation) Dragon Well tea in most tea shops and tea houses throughout China. You will certainly be able to purchase it in any decent tea market in China, simply because of its status as a household name.

It is produced in the mountains just west of Hangzhou city‘s famous West Lake. The tea is named after Longjing Mountain where it is produced. The region is constantly shrouded in mist and fog. The weather can also change suddenly, as tends to happen on most tea mountains, especially in the spring and summer months. The real beauty of the region lies in the mountain mists, which condense in the higher elevations of the mountain and eventually feed West Lake, a major tourist attraction for the region. Longjing Village itself has become a popular tourist stop for tea enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike. Many come simply to view the beauty and peace of the tea terraces. Upon the ancient mountainside are several natural springs, or wells, that are said to capture the refreshing moisture that soaks into the mountains. These springs supply the tea fields with plenty of moisture, giving Dragon Well tea its distinct flavor and aroma. The Old Dragon Well can still be visited, and you can still collect its pure mountain spring waters to brew Dragon Well tea the way it was meant to be!

Fine Dragon Well teas have a leafy vegetable flavor with an aftertaste of buttery bread. Low-mountain versions have a stronger flavor and do not necessarily focus on using only the fine three-leaf buds. The larger Dragon Well leaves have a more fibrous taste, similar to a larger, leafy vegetable. Using a lower temperature of water and not steeping more than 30 seconds should avoid any unpleasant bitterness that can come from the low-mountain leaves. If infused correctly, the lower mountain Dragon Well produces a perfectly pleasant green tea.